Haven
by shanejayell
Summary: Honor Harrington AU, based after Ashes of Victory. Lesbian & girl/girl content.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: this story has spoilers for Ashes of Victory and War of Honor, so I would recommend reading both of those books before reading this. As well, all these characters belong to David Weber, I'm just borrowing them for a bit.

Haven: A tale of Honor Harrington

Vice-admiral Shannon Foraker stood at one of the observation ports of the massive construction base Bolthole, looking out as crews worked to complete the latest of their missile pod based dreadnoughts. The resumption of the war between Haven and the Manticorian Alliance had put a rush on the construction, but she watched with pride as her people worked.

She still found it hard to believe she was here, now, when she had started out in such a different place. She had begun her career in the navy as a simple tactical officer, doing her best to match the more limited Haven technology against the high tech Manties. She proved to be so good that she was nicknamed a 'tac witch' by her commanders, and was forgiven her lack of political acumen. She survived the disastrous capture of her ship in Silesia by Honor Harrington and was returned to Haven and placed under the command of Lester Tourville.

Shannon smiled to herself fondly in memory....

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Shannon felt a surge of nerves as she followed the others down the halls of the current headquarters of the leadership of Haven. The young officer was still trying to process everything that had happened, it was all so incredible!

First, Admiral Ester McQueen had attempted to stage a coup against the Committee of Public Safety and had nearly won until Saint-Just had detonated a concealed nuclear weapon beneath her headquarters in the Octagon. At around the same time Manticore unleashed their new Super Dreadnought designs and began cutting a swath through everything Haven could throw at them. Then a assassination attempt on the Queen of Manticore killed senior levels of her government and lead to the opposition seizing control in a maneuver that still perplexed Shannon. Saint-Just then managed to negotiate a cease fire just in time to get himself killed.

'Theisman, of all people...,' Shannon shook her head wryly. The admiral was supposedly a professional and very apolitical man, which made his shooting of Saint-Just even more shocking. If he had been able to hide his hatred of the Committee so well, what else could he be hiding? Imperial ambitions, maybe?

"You're thinking too hard," Admiral Lester Tourville smiled wryly as he dropped back to whisper to her.

"Sorry, sir," Shannon smiled back weakly. "It's just so...."

Lester patted her on the shoulder as he said, "I know Theisman pretty well, I think we're going to be okay."

"You'd better be right," Javier Giscard said seriously as they walked through another doorway.

Lester looked at both Javier and Eloise Pritchart as he said seriously, "Theisman is no Saint-Just or Bob Pierre. I don't know what he intends, but I know it won't be a dictatorship."

The guards leading them through the former military base reached a door then knocked. "Admiral Giscard and company, reporting," he announced.

"Send them in," a voice called and the doors opened. Thomas Theisman looked tired as he rose from his desk, moving around to extend his hand to be shook, "I'm glad you made it back. When I heard Saint-Just had recalled you, I feared the worst."

Lester shook his hand vigorously, grinning slightly as he said, "Actually, you can thank Shannon for that."

"Oh?" Thomas looked at her, smiling.

Shannon blushed, suddenly feeling everyone smiling at her. "Uh...."

Eloise shook her head, smiling. "Our friend here hacked the computers of all the State Security ships in our task force, and when the arrest order came in she destroyed them," she told him proudly as Shannon blushed harder.

Thomas smiled wryly as he said, "Well done!"

Javier nodded then his face took on a more serious look. "Thomas, why did you call us here? What's going on?" he pressed.

Thomas smiled slightly as he met each of their eyes, "I need you to help me save Haven."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

'He meant it, too,' Shannon thought as she turned away from the view port, walking over to her cluttered desk and sitting down, her thoughts still distracted.

Thomas had asked Eloise to become the President of the Republic of Haven, working with him to restore the democracy that had once been a shining light in the quadrant. And he asked her to help rebuild the Navy, devising means to counter the superior technology of the Manticore Alliance. Working with the best minds Haven could assemble and using technology bought from the Solarian League Shannon had created their own pod based dreadnoughts and LACs.

To be honest, it scared Shannon a bit, knowing how much Haven was going to be relying on the technology she had created. All the new ships and their tactics had been tested out in the simulators, but there was still no way to know how well it would work in real life. If there was anything she had learned as a officer, no plan or tactic survived contact with the enemy. Murphy's law always cropped up somewhere.

The door chime drew Shannon's attention, and she called out, "Yes?"

"The shuttle is arriving soon," her Flag Lieutenant reported. "You mentioned you wanted to meet it?" he reminded her.

"Thank you," Shannon got up from her desk. Her thoughts raced a moment, "Clear the deck, I'll guide the shuttle in myself."

"Ma'am," the young man looked startled as she stepped out of her office into the hallway.

"I still remember how to do it," Shannon reminded the younger man with a smile as they moved through the halls of the station. She dropped her voice, "Besides, our guest wants things kept quiet."

"Another briefing," the young man guessed. Over the past several months both the Secretary of War and the admirals being given command of fleets had been brought out here, sometimes covertly, to be briefed on their new commands.

"Something like that," Shannon agreed as she added, "have someone send some food to my quarters, then you can call it a day."

"Yes ma'am," he nodded.

The main shuttle bay of the space station was cleared as ordered, the workers off doing other jobs. Shannon stepped up to the main console, guiding in the shuttle from what looked like a courier boat. The vessel docked with the station, seals and connecting hoses clamping as a safe passage formed between the ship and them.

Shannon stepped forward as the lights went green, a single figure moving along the entry tube before emerging from the opening. "Welcome to Bolthole," she said as she helped the woman out.

Eloise Pritchart smiled as she left the low gravity of the tube and stood on the deck, smiling at Shannon warmly, "You have no idea how much I've wanted to see you."

"Madam President," Shannon cautioned.

"Hush," Eloise ordered before she kissed Shannon firmly on the lips.

Shannon blushed redly even as she leaned into the kiss almost involuntarily, then she stiffened and pulled back. "Not here!" she yelped.

"Spoil sport," Eloise pouted. She sighed tiredly, "Can we go back to your quarters, please? It's been a long few months...."

Tenderly Shannon took her hand, "We'll be there soon."

To be continued....


	2. Chapter 2

Note: this chapter is set before chapter one, time line wise, with flashbacks going back to well before Ashes of Victory.

Haven

Two

Eloise Pritchart often felt a stab of guilt over her actions, even though she knew her lover understood. For the last few years Javier Giscard had been all over the Republic, 'pissing on forest fires' as he liked to put it. On one of his infrequent visits they had relaxed into afterglow from good sex, then they talked.

"Eloise," Javier smiled wryly as he ran her blonde hair through his fingers, "we both know you have... needs."

"And you don't, Mr I'll do it all night?" Eloise laughed as she cuddled.

Javier laughed, "Down, girl. Seriously, I'm going to be gone months at a time...."

Eloise gave him a thoughtful look as she said, "And you want to sleep around so you're freeing me to sleep around."

"No!" Javier yelped as he blushed furiously.

Eloise snickered softly at that. "Thank you for the thought," she told him gently, "but it really isn't necessary."

"I suppose so," Javier agreed, "but keep the option open."

"Javier," Eloise poked him in the side.

"Hey!" Javier brightened as he mused, "It could even be a woman. That way I'll have pleasant dreams out in the field too."

"Pig!" Eloise laughed, tickling him till he nearly pissed himself laughing.

Sadly, after Javier had returned to the fleet and his regular duties of putting down rebellions and squashing corrupt dictators, his suggestion lingered in Eloise's mind. To be honest she had fooled around with a woman or two when she was younger, not to mention a rather embarrassing incident with Kevin Usher's WIFE. Plotted by Kevin himself.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

"Kevin!" Eloise yelped.

"She has a cute blush," Virginia 'Ginny' Usher noted, the gorgeous former slave entirely un-bothered by being completely unclothed. She lounged where she had been laying as Eloise yanked the sheets over to cover herself up.

"Yup," Kevin agreed, the massive marine colonel looking amused by the whole situation. "Don't stop on my account," he added with a grin.

"Get out!" Eloise pitched a pillow at him, then reached for a lamp.

"I'm going, I'm going," Kevin laughed as he slipped out.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

'And to think, Ginny wanted us to keep going!' Eloise thought to herself ruefully.

But the germ of an idea just wouldn't die, and Eloise found herself looking thoughtfully at the people she worked with. Most of the staff of the Octagon and the Ministers of government were out, of course. She had to work with them every day and more importantly she couldn't really imagine having sex with them. There was Admiral Chin but Eloise soon realized that with her running around the Republic Eloise would be in the same position she was with Javier!

Then that tactical briefing came up, and Eloise was reunited with... HER.

**0****o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Bolthole was one of those things Eloise had mixed feelings about. On one hand she fully understood that Haven's military needed to get up to a level where it could compete with Manticore. Or at least survive against them! But on the other hand she hated the covert funding and partially deceiving Congress they had to do to keep Bolthole a secret and prevent Manticore from finding out they were building new ships and weapons.

"You have that pained look again," Thomas Theisman noted, "thinking about when you're going to tell Congress about Bolthole?"

"Did the ability to read my mind come with becoming Minister of War?" Eloise had to ask.

"No, it's a gift," Thomas laughed warmly. He looked up as the door to the conference room opened, "And here's the star of our show."

"Don't say that," Shannon Foraker smiled weakly as she walked in, looking smart in her dress uniform, "or I'll get stage fright."

"You'll be fine," Eloise croaked. She remembered the quiet, withdrawn officer from the bridge of the flagship, she remembered the more outgoing young officer who accompanied them to Haven months ago, but she never expected her to grow so much.

"Thank you Madam President," Shannon smiled and it was like she lit up the room.

'I think it's the contrast from her usual serious expression,' Eloise silently mused as she watched Shannon brief her most trusted ministers. She calmly described their new generation of pod-dreadnoughts, the light attack craft and the carriers that would move them, all in a clear and quite intelligent way. She didn't talk down to them and was even upfront about what they couldn't do, too.

"Our greatest difficulty has been that our tech-base can't copy the level of miniaturization Manticore routinely uses," Shannon finished, "but I believe we've come up with several brute force solutions to those problems."

"How long till they're in full production?" Kevin Usher asked, the head of the Republic's police studying her thoughtfully.

"That's the problem," Shannon admitted, "we are literally figuring out how to build these things by trial and error. I estimate we'll be up to speed in six months or so, and pumping out our first pod-dreadnought in six more months."

"A year, probably more," Thomas sighed. "Well, I know you'll be doing your best for us."

"Yes sir," Shannon nodded.

'She's so cute,' Eloise sighed, then shook herself. 'Mind on business!' she reminded herself. "I think you've done a wonderful job, Vice Admiral."

Shannon actually blushed and Eloise had to bight back a laugh.

Thomas looked amused too. "Shannon, if you drop the Madam Presidents I bet Eloise will drop the Vice Admiral," he noted.

"I couldn't!" Shannon blurted, blushing even harder.

"Yes you can," Eloise smiled devilishly, "El-o-ise. It's not hard to say."

Shannon looked down as she mumbled, "Eloise?"

"Better," Eloise laughed, "now just a bit louder, next time."

"Don't tease her," Denis LePic said, though he was fighting back a smile himself.

"Well, good work," Thomas repeated. He looked at Shannon curiously, "You're not heading back to Bolthole till later this week?"

"Yes, and on a round about route too," Shannon admitted, "Kevin wants to throw off any possible Manticore agents."

"Poor thing," Kevin laughed.

Shannon stuck her tongue out at him and Eloise nearly choked trying to hold back a laugh. Clearing her throat she said, "Thomas and I were planning a working dinner to talk about the Bolthole designs. Would you like to come along, Shannon?"

Shannon smiled a little as she shyly answered, "Sure, I'd like that."

The meal that night was enjoyable, more for teasing the lovely young woman than the work that was accomplished. She found herself oddly enraptured by the young woman's manner, her voice and her sweet, shy smile.

When Thomas left and she and Shannon were alone, Eloise intended to simply send her on her way to visiting officers quarters. But it was late at night and the weather foul, so Eloise offered the young woman her couch, so they could talk a little longer. Conversation, a bit of wine and they ended up in bed, instead.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Some years after that first, tentative night Eloise smiled as the ship she was traveling in returned to Bolthole once again. Officially she was there for a meeting on the ships coming out of Bolthole, but that was later tomorrow. Today was hers, and she looked forward to seeing Shannon again.

To be continued....

Notes: Made some edits to make this jive better with part one and three.


	3. Chapter 3

Haven

Three

Shannon lead the way into her rather bare quarters at Bolthole, the hidden manufacturing dock and base where Haven was working to develop and test the ships and weapons which would give them a chance to fight Manticore and possibly win. Shannon had been out here since not long after the cease fire, working with scientists across the Republic of Haven and while it had been a hard tasdk, she felt it was worth it.

Shannon waved her guest to a chair as she asked, "Can I get you anything?"

Eloise stopped her with a gentle hand on her arm as the blond murmured huskily, "Right now, all I want is you."

Shannon moaned as she was pulled into a hungry kiss, the other woman holding her tightly as the kiss deepened. Eloise's hands stroked along her back then cupped her ass possessively, pulling her even closer. Their breasts pushed together almost painfully then Eloise eased off a bit, leaving Shannon panting softly as they broke apart.

"That's better," Eloise sighed happily, resting her head on Shannon's shoulder a moment.

Shannon let her arms wrap around her, once again startled by how easily she could hold the other woman. Somehow, with how larger than life Eloise was as President, she expected her to be larger in real life, too.

"Have you eaten?" Shannon asked as her guest's stomach growled softly.

Eloise blushed, "Don't give me lines like that, Shannon." As Shannon blushed she continued a bit more seriously, "No, not for a few hours."

"Come on," Shannon and Eloise walked over to where two chairs were set close together, a tray of snacks set out by Shannon's steward. She often felt a bit odd about having a steward to cook and take care of her, but in all honesty she needed the help. While Shannon was a great tactical mind and practical theorist she was terrible with day to day stuff, forgetting things left and right.

"Hmm, good," Eloise moaned happily as she munched with a abandon that made Shannon smile. "I swear the trip out here gets longer and longer," she grumbled cheerfully, "I need to move you nearer home." She winked, "Maybe into the Octagon itself."

"I'd like that," Shannon admitted as she drank some bubbly, "but not until we finish what we're working on out here."

"That'll be forever," Eloise sighed, shaking her head.

Still, Eloise didn't press the issue and Shannon felt glad of that. As much as they both cared for each other they were also fierce defenders of their homeland, and for them duty had to come before personal relationships. "It won't be forever," Shannon promised her, "at absolute worst I think we can win a war, if it comes to that."

Eloise look sharpened, shifting almost subtly from lover to President. "That's what Thomas said," she noted, "but are you sure?"

"There's no absolute certainty in war," Shannon said as she ate a few snacks, "but if Manticore continues it's build down in ships and we roll out the number of Super Dreadnoughts we've planned, I believe we can win a war."

Eloise nodded as she digested those facts from someone she knew she could trust, then quietly said, "I see." She smiled a bit sadly, "Not that I want a war, but until the Manties start negotiating seriously, we need to be ready for one."

Shannon nodded, having gotten a ring side seat to the situation in Eloise's letters. Under the High Ridge government Manticore had been playing diplomatic games since the ceasefire was agreed to, refusing to negotiate seriously and not moving from their war posture. Originally Eloise had been happy they were stalling as it gave her time to clean up the situation at home. But it had been several years now, things were on track in Haven, finally, and they needed to deal with the Manticore situation. Assuming Manticore would let them!

Mentally shaking her head, Shannon smiled at Eloise. "This isn't the place or time to talk about that," she told her.

"Oh?" Eloise gave her a slow smile, clearly aware where Shannon was going and in full agreement with her.

"I think we were doing something else when your stomach interrupted," Shannon smiled back at her, letting her own need shine through in her eyes and voice.

Eloise got up, stretched gracefully as she purred, "Yes, now I'm hungry for something else." She unhook the shoulder tab of her jumpsuit and peeled it back, making Shannon gulp. Eloise wasn't wearing anything underneath!

"You look...," Shannon croaked as the woman shimmied out of her garment, revealing a lush body that made her mouth go dry.

"Show me," Eloise purred as she pulled Shannon towards her, grinning.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

A sweaty, exhausted and very content Shannon lay on her back on her bed, Eloise curled up against her as they rested together. They had first used the furnature in the front room, then when that proved too uncomfortable retreated to her bedroom. There they had romped together on the bed, luxuriating in each others bodies.

As the sweat cooled on their bodies and they relaxed together, Shannon sometimes found herself resenting the role she found herself in, being Eloise's other woman. She knew Eloise cared for her, almost as much as Shannon cared in return, but she also knew that for Eloise Javier came first. He was her true love, ultimately, while Shannon... was not.

On the other hand, Shannon loved Eloise, and had made the decision to do what she could for her. So she took the days and nights she could with her lover, exchanged letters and messages, and tried to prepare herself for the day Eloise would finally say goodbye.

Shannon noticed Eloise looked at her, a expression of fond exasperation on her face. "You're thinking again," she teased, "what have I told you about thinking when I'm around?"

"I thought you preferred a thinking woman," Shannon smiled back.

"Only when you're coming up with clever things to do in bed," Eloise winked. They lay there a moment as Eloise looked down at her just a bit sadly, "I wonder, sometimes, if I should stop using you like this."

"You're not using me," Shannon said honestly, hugging her gently.

Eloise looked away as she sighed, "It feels like it, some times." She snuggled into Shannon's side as she muttered, "You should have a lover you can be with when you want, not having to wait around for a gap in my schedule."

Shannon squeezed her gently with one arm as she noted, "You may not have noticed, but I kind of work in the back end of beyond. Any lover I take would have the same problem."

Eloise couldn't help snicker softly at that, "Point."

"Besides," Shannon added as they lay there, "I wasn't a virgin, pulled in by your wicked wiles. I knew what I was getting into."

"That's true," Eloise admitted. There was a moment's pause and she mused, "I was actually kind of surprised about how... skilled you were." Shannon blushed and Eloise laughed merrily. "That is such a cute look on your face," she said.

"I wish I didn't blush so much," Shannon grumbled, "you'd tease me less."

Eloise ticked her, making Shannon squeak in surprise as she added, "And it's fun, too."

"Why, you...," Shannon ticked her back, both women breaking into a fun wrestling match on the bed. She was a army officer and should have the advantage, but Eloise was a former resistance leader and very slippery. It was very enjoyable as they rubbed together, and Shannon could feel her pulse beginning to race as they scrambled across the bed together.

Finally Eloise ended up pinned under Shannon, both of them panting for effort. She looked up at Shannon and purred, "It looks like you've got me. But can you keep me?"

Before Shannon could react Eloise leaved herself up, pressing her mouth against Shannon's dangling breast. She moaned as Eloise sucked hard, her grip loosening as she swiftly had other things to think about. With a heave of her hips and a twist Eloise got herself on top, grinning down at Shannon rakishly.

"Got you know, my pretty," Eloise joked. A grin teased her lips as she purred, "Now, it's my turn to tire you out...."

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

The meeting the next day was the official briefing, Thomas Theisman attending as Minister of War along with the President and other ministers. As she gave her reports Shannon had to work hard to stay focused, especially since Eloise was wearing the same jumpsuit as yesterday. The image of her stripping burst in on her unexpectedly and her knees went weak, even as Eloise hid a smile.

"Well done," Theisman smiled, the larger man shaking her hand. "Even with all the problems we've had, you've done a marvelous job."

"I have a great team, Sir," Shannon answered honestly. "I'm sorry we're off schedule, we'll do our best to make up for it."

"Shannon, I expected dumping the Erewhon data on you to delay production for everything," Theisman said with a chuckle, "you've done heroic work."

The meeting rumbled to a close and each officer left, departing by different ships for security. An assassination attempt had decapitated the last Manticore government, they had no wish to see it happen with Haven. As Denis Le Pic was leaving Eloise walked over to Shannon's side, both women standing close together.

"Every time I leave here," Eloise said quietly, "I want to take you with me."

"And I'd like to go," Shannon admitted, "but...."

"Duty," Eloise agreed with a sigh. It looked like she wanted to hug her, but in front of the waiting Ministers all she could do is take her hand, "Be safe."

"Will do," Shannon answered, feeling choked up. "You too," she added softly, then stepped back to give a picture perfect salute.

Eloise returned it then her ship was called. Her eyes clear and back straight she boarded her ship and was off, the vessel visible in the ports as it maneuvered away on thrusters. Shannon watched it go, praying she would see the woman inside again.

End.

Notes: I'm ending this for now, I should say. If you've read the Honor Harrington books up to At All Costs you know the war ended, but until Mission of Honor comes out we won't know how the situation might be resolved. I also would need to figure out how to tackle Javier's death in At All Costs and how that will impact on Eloise....


End file.
